


Wilderness

by Amateal, LMichaela



Category: Original Work
Genre: (of a sort), Ancient Fantasy History, Ancient History, Animalistic, Druids, Elemental Magic, F/M, High Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Not Beta Read, Original Fiction, Original World, Past Rape/Non-con, Shapeshifting, Slavery, Strangers to Lovers, Talking Animals, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-12-27 11:50:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21118313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amateal/pseuds/Amateal, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LMichaela/pseuds/LMichaela
Summary: The shapeshifter Pogue is out on a hunt. He is the last of his kind and has lived far away from the nomadic, barbaric Uweyr and the innovative Runic people.Tayla, as far as she can know, is the last of the Druids—mystical nomad forest people, blessed with gifts of nature. The other circles have been decimated or enslaved by the Uweyr. She was enslaved since she was a girl, but now she's been running for days, sunburnt with cracked and blistered feet. She comes across a strange animal, one that definitely doesn't belong in this area. But that could be of concern later, as right now, she needed help. She uses her gift of the Beasttongue, allowing her to speak to and understand animals without changing her speech, to request it. Little does she know that this bear who's hunt she just ruined can understand her words for a reason other than that gift...





	1. A Hunt Disturbed

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! So some general notes before you dive in. I'll put in the notes of each chapter if there are any common triggers involved as well as if it's a chapter with Explicit-rated content (for those of you just looking for some smut to read; I know you're out there ;> no shame). Chapters with E-rated content: 5-Heat, more to come.  
The first chapter doesn't really have any of that, though, so no worries.
> 
> If you would like to envision the characters however you choose, that is fine. If you would like to have approximations of their appearance, Tayla's face model is [Claire Holt](https://pm1.narvii.com/6461/bf27e3beb32973d6719f91ff16b67095f607a56c_hq.jpg) (but with darker skin as she is multiracial), and Pogue's is [Adam Beach](https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/actor-adam-beach-is-photographed-for-people-magazine-on-october-5-in-picture-id76009414).

Damn. Pogue’s eyes followed the caribou as it moved toward the stream. His limbs tensed, ready, but then the animal raised its head and suddenly bolted for the tree line. Pogue started to give chase, but stopped, his ears twitching forward to settle on what had scared the caribou off. He settled into the brush, waiting, his form morphing into something larger. More able to deal with something of size. Whatever was stumbling its way through the forest wasn’t too big, but it was certainly bigger than the wolf he’d been using to track. A polar bear should do it. It was much too far south to catch a real polar bear, but… He wasn’t a real polar bear.

He lumbered out of the trees before his eyes settled on… a girl? What was a girl doing this far out in the wilderness? He stopped, watching her warily before he tilted his head to the side questioningly.

Her white dress, the mandated ‘obvious marker’ of a captive slave to the Uweyr tribe — really more like sewn white fabric with holes for arms and head — was torn from her days spent in this wilderness. She had chosen the summer to run away, since the thin fabric wasn't really enough to protect her in the harsh of winter here. It was hardly enough to protect her in the summer either. Her skin was red and burning from days in the sun, wandering. Nearby animals gave her tips on where to go, where to find berries and roots she could eat, but none of them knew what to do about her sunburn or other problems she faced that she had merely because she was human. After all, they had their own solutions for those sorts of things. 

Her cracked and blistered feet carried her over the ground as she kept going and… going. She kept telling herself that she couldn't stop, that a hunting party was right behind her, and if she stopped, she would be killed, devoured as was standard punishment for runaways. For most anyone that was Other to the tribe, really.

Tayla looked up, seeing a caribou, but before she could ask it anything, it raised its head, sniffing around before letting out a frightened noise, bounding away. Predator. “I need… assistance,” she said, pleadingly. That was the nature of her gift. She could understand and speak to animals, but she didn't need to imitate the sounds they made in order for them to comprehend her. The problem was usually in their reply. The simpler the animal, such as a mouse, couldn't give very complicated or helpful answers, but more intelligent ones, especially domesticated animals, could. 

The problem was that there weren't many domesticated animals in the wilderness. Not to mention the fact that the animal didn't have to answer or even listen at all. This predator could easily decide she would make a much easier, albeit smaller, meal than the ungulate that bounded away. She just had to hope it wasn't that hungry.

Pogue watched her curiously, trying to figure out why she was so far into the wilderness, but then he heard something else in the woods behind her. He roared, barrelling out of the trees and planting himself beside the girl to roar again into the brush, scaring the mountain lion into making a break for it. Then he turned back to the girl suspiciously.

The roar wasn’t meant for her. She knew that much before she even turned to see the… gigantic creature standing before her. It’s attention was in the near distance, and she heard the yowl of the cat it had succeeded in scaring, heard the flutter of leaves as it dashed away.

She did not shirk from the sequoian beast, did not try to run or cower. There would be no point. If it had decided to take her as a meal that it hadn’t wanted to share, it would. There was nothing she could do to stop that.

“This one pleads that you do not harm it,” she said, raising her hands with splayed fingers to show she had nothing with her at all, much less anything to harm him with. “This one seeks assistance; if you do not wish to give, it asks only that you do not harm.” He hadn’t so far, which was a good sign. If it was a matter of urgently wanting food enough to waste energy on a small thing like her, he would have done so already.

He watched her for an extra moment before he sighed. “Why are you out in the wilds?” She certainly wasn’t dressed for it.

A bear wasn’t… typically curious, which was odd. And this bear didn’t look like any she’d seen now that she was getting a better look at it. She thought, at first, that it might be albino, but… no, the shape was wrong too.

“This one is running,” she answered honestly. She pulled down the collar of the shift to show the carving just under her collarbone. This was the less obvious marker, to show who exactly had claim over her. “From humans who enjoy hurting other humans.”

He thought for a moment before lumbering to stand beside her. “Alright.” He agreed. “Climb on.” He could smell the blood from the split skin on the bottoms of her feet.

She first thought he was just going to walk on past her without another word. Her shoulders seemed to sag for a moment, sad but… not surprised. But then, he stopped, telling her to climb onto his back. Now, the emotions flipped, a happy surprise pulling at the corners of her lips. “Oh… oh, thank you!” She breathed. He could very well be taking her back to his den for a more comfortable meal, but… she didn’t think so.

She pulled herself up onto his back, grunting slightly as she had to pull herself up by her arms rather than able to use her legs much for assistance. But she did manage to make it up onto his back, and Tayla pat the side of his neck to let him know when she was steady. “This one is Tayla,” she introduced herself. “Do you call yourself anything?”

Solitary creatures varied in that regard, she noticed. The ones who were sociable in childhood, like bears, typically had names, but it depended on the bear whether they kept them or just left them behind in adulthood.

“Pogue.” His mother had called him that. She would likely find it easier to pronounce than his full name. Besides, he hadn’t gone by his full name since his village had been destroyed.  
He wandered into the trees, heading north, deeper into the wilderness.

“Pogue,” she repeated softly to remember it better. “A pleasure to meet you.” She leaned forward, lying along his spine. She was… so very tired. And her body finally felt like it could relax.

Pogue grunted back but was otherwise silent until he felt her shift a bit, losing balance and starting to fall. He caught her before she went too far, nudging her awake gently. “Almost there.”

She sat up, bleary eyes and yawning. “Mm, mhmm, this one is awake,” she said through the yawn. Tayla rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Apologies. It has been… a few days since this one was able to have rest.”

“It’s alright.” He felt for her. A runaway slave. It was hard to imagine what her life had been like. He’d always been free. “Rest if you can.”

She nodded. “Yes. Thank you.” She laid back down against his back, hands sliding through his fur and gripping slightly in the white locks. “How much farther?” She asked curiously, remembering he’d said they were “almost” there.

“Two minutes.” He estimated, walking a little slower for her. Hopefully, she wouldn’t fall again.

She wasn’t going to sleep again. Well, was going to try not to, really. Two minutes ought to be short enough for her to stay awake, though. “Okay. Thank you,” she said softly. She lifted her head for a moment after the time had passed. She saw the mouth of a cave ahead.

Maybe he was one of those ‘cave bears’ she’d heard tale of. Large and pale… it certainly fit. Usually only warriors and scouts came across them as they tended to stay, well, in their caves. That was the part that didn’t fit the beast.

“There is salve by the mirror, in a wooden box, use that for your feet. And there is some food in a pouch hanging by the water.” He explained as he stepped inside but stopped in the entrance. “I will return.” He still needed to catch some meat. He needed the energy boost. 

Besides, with two of them to feed, it would go farther if he put his energy into catching larger meals. And it would take longer for him to collect what he needed for winter so… He might as well start now.

She slid off of him, looking around in confused wonder before he was gone again. It was… all too human in here. Not just the mirror, but the bed, the pouches, the fact that he stored water. Was there another person here as well? She might have assumed someone used to live here until the bear took over, but there was no dust on the mirror’s face, and the wood of the different furnishings was still solid, no rot eating away at them. She called out, listening to her voice echo in the chambers beyond her sight, but… no returning voice.

Warily, she did as he’d said, applying the medicine to the various injuries on her body, most importantly the bottoms of her feet, which she had to bandage. There were also the burns she had as punishments before she finally left, though they were a bit more healed than her soles.

She waited, sitting in a spot that seemed out of the way against a cave wall, not wanting to disturb anything for fear of anger on anyone’s return that she’d messed with anything. If the other human returned and discovered her here, without any idea as to who she was, they could quite possibly mistake her for some sort of thief and try to hurt her.

Soon a black wolf padded into the cave carrying a string of rabbits. He used the chair to place them on the table before he moved to his backpack, groaning slightly at the morph of his skin as he changed into a human form, hardly taking a moment to pull on some clothes for her wordlessly. Finally he saw where she’d positioned herself. “Make yourself comfortable.” He offered, nodding toward the bed of furs toward the back of the cave.

She saw the wolf with the… string of rabbits? Wolves didn’t carry strings. Her confusion was eased when the form began to morph and shift into that of- oh! A human! Well, a fur walker, in any case. That explained… quite a bit, actually.

“This one does not wish to impose,” she squeaked at his offer. She had already taken medicines, water, and a piece of dried meat from his stores. She didn’t want to take his sleeping place too, or take up much room at all.

“I offered. You are not imposing.” He said simply, only looking up when he didn’t hear her start moving. “Would you like some help?” That couldn’t be comfortable after all, walking with her feet like that.

“One…” she started, wanting to say that she would be fine where she was, but… it was cold all the way back here. She could feel the goose flesh prickle along her skin. She tried to stand, the movements slow and very clearly trying to stand on the sides of her feet to keep most of the soles off the ground. She wanted to be as small a presence as possible, not wanting him to become annoyed with neediness.

He sighed, moving to help her. “Not one to accept help, are you?” He mused aloud, finding it a little amusing.

“You have helped quite a lot,” she pointed out. Still, she did breathe a sigh of relief when he took some of her weight off herself. “This one does not wish to take too much,” Tayla clarified once she’d reached the bed, sitting on the edge.

“Take as much as you need to get yourself back in working order. I do not mind helping you or I wouldn’t have brought you here.” He explained simply, helping her to sit on the raised bed of furs before looking over her feet carefully. “How long were you running?”

“Four days,” she murmured. She’d had to drink from a stream at one point, the dehydration getting to her from not finding any tuberous roots. She was thankful not to be dyssenteric.

“You need to rest. This is plenty of space for me. I’ll wake you when the food is ready.” He said simply, moving to begin cleaning the rabbits.

She nodded, laying down slowly to avoid upsetting other injuries.


	2. On Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tayla begins the process of healing. Pogue looks after her. One night, though, they have to be on extra alert with the bay of hounds in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content: n/a  
CW: Brief descriptions of past violence Tayla witnessed

She woke up on her own, the sounds of him finishing up jolting her to alertness. Not that she’d been able to sleep very deeply. Sounds pulled her toward wakefulness each time. Tayla relaxed after her eyes darted around for the source of the noise, only to see Pogue. Her breathing calmed. “Apologies,” she murmured, sitting up.

“It’s alright. You will settle with time.” He settled on simply. He had. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “The food is nearly done.”

She nodded. “Is there anything this one can do to assist? In general, it means.” She didn’t want to be resented as some lay-about who constantly needed help. He seemed fine to allow her to be around right now, but… that sort of thing never lasted, especially not between strangers.

“Not with your feet like that. You need to stay off them for a while and I need to finish these for you.” He murmured as he worked on some moccasins for her. “The berries are still over there if you’re hungry. I’ve got some more rabbit cooking for lunch.”

She looked down at her hands when her assistance was rejected. Then at the mention of food, Tayla got up, walking a bit awkwardly to the fire and sitting next to it, taking the crude bowl in hand to nibble at the stash of berries, staying quiet so as to be as little of a possible bother as she could.

It took him a moment to notice the silence and look up at her. “Once you start to heal a bit, we will think of something you can do if you wish.”

She nodded in response. Tayla set the bowl to the side after having a bit, not wanting to take all of his stores, and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and setting her chin on her knees. It was an automatic sort of position, taking up the smallest space she could.

After a moment he glanced up and stopped short. “It’s alright. You can relax.” He said gently, trying his best to soothe the poor girl. She must have been through a lot.

“No,” she replied softly, though the wording she used for it denoted that she was beneath him – him much higher than herself – rather than a curt denial. “This one knows better than to be at ease.” Fear, so far, had kept her safe.

“We are too deep in the wilds here. Nothing will bother us.” He assured her gently. “There is nothing here but woods and the beasts in it.”

“With all possible respect, it disagrees,” she squealed, a bit afraid of contradicting twice. “This one has found that to be certain of no danger, is to invite its presence.”

“I’ve lived here for sometime. Do I look relaxed?” He chuckled, putting the finishing touches on her shoes. “And if anything was to attack, it would have to get through me in order to harm you anyway. You are safe here.”

He wasn’t a slave, wasn’t a runaway from… Her master was an important man. Her successful escape would be an insult. Still, it seemed he wanted her to not be as she was, so she sat cross legged instead, hands in her lap, hoping it would please him.

He shrugged, getting up and bringing her newly finished shoes to her, holding them out to her. “How are your feet?”

“It does not hurt as bad,” she answered. “It thanks you for the salve.” She looked up to see the shoes before pointing at herself hesitantly as if to ask ‘for me?’

He nodded. “It is no trouble.” Her referring to herself as an ‘it’ kind of bothered him, but she was likely taught that speech pattern. And likely not very pleasantly given who she’d escaped from.

It was meant as a stripping of the humanity. To refer to herself as ‘I’ or ‘me’ gave herself personhood. They didn’t want her getting any big ideas about herself. “This one thanks you again,” she noted, taking them cautiously, just in case it was a trick. The rational part of her knew he was helping and had no reason to do such a thing, but past experiences told her caution at all times.

“Again, it is no problem, Tayla.” He answered. “I will have to go hunting this evening again. Is that alright? Do you think you will be comfortable here?”

“Yes,” she affirmed, continuing to use the formal, respectful form of her words. ‘Comfortable’ wasn’t the word. But she hadn’t been comfortable since… almost far as she could remember.

He nodded slowly. “Alright. I will be back shortly.” He assured her, taking his bag with him. He would have to shed these clothes before he changed after all.

He’d heard dogs nearby, so he headed back as a lion, wanting to be faster than a bear and leave scents of a predator in his wake. He slunk inside with the deer he’d caught hanging limply by the neck from his jaws before he dropped it at his workbench. “Keep alert.” He warned before returning to the mouth of the cave and morphing into the larger grizzly bear. If they got much closer he was already planning to make some noise. Hopefully, that would scare them off.

She was scrambling to her feet, the adrenaline of fear pushing her to ignore the pain in them. She had thought she heard barking but thought… perhaps coyotes. But then the maned, strange beast came into the cave with the eyes of the bear and man before telling her to be alert and she knew her hope had been incorrect.

Tayla moved to a bend in the cave wall, pressing herself against it. She reeked of fear, of the days spent by herself in the woods, of blood and salve. Of course she wouldn’t be hard to track once she’d stopped travelling along river banks… _Stupid_, she scolded herself.

He roared angrily, warning off the dogs. He could hear the whimpers, almost imagine them shying away from this place. Good. He listened for a moment before audibly confirming it for her. “They are going.” After all, a scent that lead to a bear cave was probably from a dead person. At least, in normal circumstances.

She still couldn’t bring herself to make a sound. It was too dangerous, too much of a chance that the dogs might hear and lead the humans that followed them instead of going alone. Her eyes squeezed shut, lips pressing together as she bit them to keep her mouth closed. Tayla slid to the ground, wanting to be small, wanting to be invisible.

Maybe it had been a mistake to run. She’d be caught. Runaways were almost always caught or brought back already half devoured by wildlife. A body could be fuel to a fire, after all.

Once they were far enough away, he moved to change back, as he pulled on his pants again with a sigh. Then he noticed her. “They have gone, Tayla. You are safe.” He assured her gently, approaching her slowly

“O-one does not wish to burn,” she whispered, fear saturating her words. She couldn’t make herself move from her spot. She could still see images of the fires made of bodies that belonged to those who disobeyed too many times or attempted escape, with a piece of someone else being turned above it. If her people believed in some sort of “hell,” the Uweyr would fill it as its leaders.

“No one will burn you, Tayla. Not if I can help it.” He said gently. He remembered the horror of the night his village was destroyed, but this girl had to live among the cruelty of what he’d seen that night. And it seemed she’d survived it for some time. Not an easy feat.

It took her a little while to calm down, but she did eventually calm. “Apologies,” she murmured, wiping at her eyes. “Too much fear.”

“It’s alright. You don’t have to apologize for that.” He assured her, keeping his voice soft.

She nodded slightly, taking in a deep breath. “Better now. Thank you, sir. For the protection and the kindness.”

“It’s nothing.” He assured her gently. “Catch your breath.” He offered.

Another nod. She wasn’t able to relax enough for rest again, so instead she sat near the entrance to the cave, though hidden behind a curve of the wall, to keep watch. Well, to keep listen. When the flames started to die down, the night chill became all that more apparent to the slave girl, but she didn’t wish to disturb her rescuer’s rest by building another fire. Once again, she curled into herself, though now it was to bring her limbs closer to her core, closer to the warmth, and she was able to breathe hot air onto her hands as well.

Pogue woke to the chill. He wasn’t used to laying down as a human. But then he noticed her and got up, moving silently to pick her up gently and place her on the bed. He changed into a wolf and curled up on the other end of the bed to sleep.

“Oh, you do not have-” He didn’t seem to be listening. She bit her lip as he brought her to the bed, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. This was what it was about, then. She wished he had just come out and said it from the start… But… no, then his form changed and he moved away from her. That was… surprising.

She still wasn’t able to rest, though. After a few minutes, she tried to move carefully to lay down next to him, putting her hand on his back. His fur felt much like one of the watching dogs that had kept her company back with the Uweyr. It was nice.

He didn’t move, letting her sleep how she wished.


	3. Useful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pogue encourages Tayla to go outside with him so she can collect fiber, then to the river to bathe. She had been running for four days, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content: N/A (should come around ch. 5 ;])  
CW: N/A

He was standing at the entrance to their cave when she woke, sipping some herbal tea out of a wooden mug that he’d whittled, listening to the birds chirping. He’d morphed out of his wolf form and put on pants, but that was all.

The fact that he wasn’t on alert eased her a bit when she sat up. She pulled one of the smaller furs around her shoulders against the morning chill as she carefully walked to stand next to him. Her movement was still awkward, but her wounds were feeling better after a night of bandages and medicine. “Apologies,” she said softly, not wishing to disturb him, “is there a place nearby to wash?

“Of course.” He nodded toward the back of the cave, taking her to deeper chamber where he’d assembled a wooden tub. He picked up a stick and lit the end so he might light the candles he had back there. “I’ll start warming the water for you.” He offered softly.

She nodded and murmured thanks as he went to heat the water. When she was alone, she stripped herself of the white, ragged shift and looked over herself. The still open burns were healing a bit faster now that she’d put that medicine on them. Other parts of her skin was dappled and striped from other various punishments she received over the years. And then, of course, there was the master’s marking at her collarbone.

But she was mostly paying attention to the healing wounds, which seemed to be doing better. She sat down to unravel the bandages on her feet. They were much less red, no longer actively bleeding, and the skin seemed to be trying to stitch itself together. All good signs.

He returned with two large buckets of hot water, pouring them into the tub, trying not to look in her direction to give her some privacy. “It’s very hot, but I’ll cut it with some cold water. Get a good temperature for you.” He left to fetch more, returning more quickly this time with one bucket of hot and one cold.

Finally, he got the tub full and checked the temperature before nodding. “Alright. I found a long shirt that might fit you. I’ll lay it out for you.” He said simply before heading out to let her bathe.

‘Privacy’ wasn’t really a thing Tayla was concerned about. The few years she spent in her circle, they didn’t really have the concept of nudity as shame, and with the Uweyr, she was desensitized to anything so mild as someone just seeing her without clothes.

“Thank you,” she told him for, she was certain, just about the millionth time before she got into the tub. The warmth of the shallow water stung her wounds, but for the rest of her that it touched… goddess, it was so wonderful. She let out a sigh of relief, enjoying the way the heat felt to her muscles of her legs before she finally started to wash.

He found the shirt and brought it to lay out on a dry rock for her before moving back to the front to start cooking them something to eat.

She finished up with the bath, drying herself and then slipping on the tunic. She sat on the cave floor again, wrapping her feet in the bandages but she couldn’t quite get the end to stay. She pressed her lips together before going out to the main chamber, the cloth unraveling a bit with each step. “Humbly requesting assistance?” She asked, gesturing to the wraps.

“Oh.” He stood. “No, you need some new bandages.” He said moving to get some more out of his medbox. “Have a seat.” He offered, nodding to the only chair he had.

She hadn’t wanted to take other bandages. There had to be a limited supply, after all. She saw leathers and furs here but no cloth weaving. He knew how to hunt and how to treat the skins but didn’t know which plants could be woven into fibers, it seemed. But even so, she did as he said, sitting in the chair and unraveling the messy wrapping she’d done.

He took the dirty ones, placing them aside. He would boil them and reuse them, but he would probably have to steal some more cloth soon. It was fairly easy so it wasn’t like it was a big deal. He carefully applied the salve and then wrapped her feet gently.

She let out a soft whine when he had to apply the medicines, but she put her hand over her mouth to quiet herself. She was accustomed to sounds of pain resulting in more of the cause, though she never knew if it was because her master enjoyed drawing the sounds from her or if it was meant as punishment for vocalizing her hurt.

A small lizard dropped from the cave wall and onto her shoulder, flaring the sail from its neck at Pogue. The sound of pain turned into… a small laugh! “Apologies, little one,” she said to the creature. It must have heard her sound as a cry for help. “No danger.” She ran a finger over its head and spine to reassure it.

Her speaking caught his attention and the little thing’s reaction made him chuckle. “So you can speak to all animals?” He asked gently, finishing with one foot before moving on to wrap the next.

She nodded. “Mothers called it ‘beast tongue,’” she explained. Then, to the lizard, “Go on now. Thank you for trying to help,” as she offered her hand for it to climb on before lowering it to the floor.

He chuckled again, watching it go before he finished wrapping up her foot gently. “Done.” He said, standing. He offered her a hand.

She took his hand, standing while favoring certain spots of her soles. The bandages helped cushion the wounds, though. “Is there anything one can assist with? To pass time and to return the favors you have given.”

“Uh… Well, you can’t walk around too much, but… I suppose you can do something. Do… you have anything in mind?” He asked, a little awkwardly.

“One knows how to treat prey,” she replied. She’d had to prepare food at the Uweyr tribe, after all. She could skin and cut meat- Her face lost its expression for a moment as the reminder hit her hard of some of the kinds of things she’d had to prepare. She desensitized to a lot of things, but never… Tayla blinked, coming back to herself. “A-apologies. What was it saying?”

“You… were telling me what you might do to help.” He reminded her gently, concern on his face. She’d spaced out for more than a moment there. Perhaps… preparing food was not the best idea? She seemed to have bad memories tied to it.

“Yes. Can skin animals, can be warm, can weave fiber…” she listed, trying to think of things that didn’t involve a lot of movement. “If you need water boiled, can watch over that.”

“I suppose I can get some fiber for you to weave.” He smiled. “But I can also take you out, let you pick out your own fiber.” He offered. “You won’t even have to walk.”

She could identify the plants better than if she described them to him and hoped he brought the correct ones but… She looked out at the cave opening, a bit of fear returning to her face. The dogs had only been the night before… They had to still be nearby. “That… That is okay. Could do another thing…”

“I haven’t heard anything all morning or yesterday.” He said gently. “It’s safe.” He assured her. “If I hear _one_ dog bark, I’ll bring you right back, I promise.”

She thought a moment more before nodding. “Okay. That is… a good plan.” It would be nice to be outside again when she wasn’t running with cracked and bloodied feet, fearing every single second.

He smiled, glad that she accepted. He stepped back, morphing into an elk, his ears flicking around, checking their surroundings. Just as he thought, nothing but birdsong and some deer to the east.

She clambered onto his back, having a bit of trouble with her feet in the state they were, but she managed. She pat the side of his neck to let him know when she was stable.

“You could have used my antler.” He offered, starting slowly out into the forest. He kept an ear out for any sound that might signify something dangerous.

“Did not wish to pull it off; do not know what kind of damage that could translate to in other forms.” Antlers weren’t permanent. She knew that much. She didn’t know how likely they were to fall off from outside influence other than seasons and time.

“Mine don’t fall off unless I live as an elk or deer for a long period of time.” He explained, trekking easily through the underbrush.

“Understood,” she replied, voice sounding a bit distant as she kept her eyes peeled for the optimal places for the plants she needed. She spotted a little clearing speckled with small blue flowers and tapped his neck again.

“There,” she said, pointing. “The little flowers. Most of them must have already fruited.” It would be difficult to make into wearable fiber but certainly not impossible. It usually served best as rope.

He moved to rip some up with his teeth, turning his head carefully to hand it to her. The last thing she needed was to be hit on the head with bone. “What is this?” He asked before going for another mouth full. It… actually didn’t taste too bad.

“Flax,” she said. “The seeds are edible once shelled - well, the form you are in likely can digest it just fine - and the stems can be stripped to fibers. It is possible to make soft enough to create clothing or wraps, but will take time.”

“I suppose that is something we have plenty of.” He muttered, collecting a bit more before standing up straight. “Enough?” There was likely more to find in these woods that they could use.

She nodded. It wouldn’t exactly make a large roll of cloth, but it was enough for her to experiment with to see if she could get the fibers of the plants here to break down and spin into what she needed. “Do you know of any cotton near? Uncertain if it grows in this land or… perhaps more south. Looks like a small cloud on a stem.”

“Cotton. It’s too close to the villages.”

Another nod of her head. “Perhaps bribing a few birds would work…” she murmured, thinking out loud. She could offer seed in exchange for the plant. It would take many flights to bring her enough to make much of anything but it was better than getting close to others, especially if those others might be Uweyr.

“I usually just steal something hanging out on the laundry line to dry.” He said. “Hold on.” He warned before hopping over a little downed tree.

She clutched at his fur, leaning down a bit at the motion, and managed to stay on. “Is that not risky?” She noted. If anyone saw, he could be poked full of arrowheads…

“More risky to leave wounds uncovered. Besides, no one wastes arrows for a shirt.” He shrugged.

“Understood,” she noted. Tayla was quiet for a few minutes before she finally asked, “To which nation is the nearby tribe?”

“We’re in the northeast Plains. Most villages around here are Honovi.” The Runic, Tayla recognized the name they used for themselves. “Uweyr sometimes raid from the west.” He shrugged. “Other than that things are fairly quiet.”

Her fingers tensed in his fur at the mention of the Uweyr. They had to still be close by… Romulus wouldn’t take her escape lightly… He’d see it as an insult. They had to still be close by… “Okay,” she said after a moment, realizing she hadn’t responded.

His ear twitched slightly at her tug. Hm. She was familiar with the Uweyr. Most were around here, though. “You’re safe here.” He reminded her gently.

“Cannot let guard completely down,” she explained. Her speech seemed a bit off, but it was because she was having to amend it. He didn’t seem to like when she referred to herself as ‘it.’

“Not moving around like this, no, but my cave is safe. No one comes near it.” He assured her. Not since he’d taken it from a rather fearsome grizzly and assumed his form to scare away passerbys.

She bit her lip, but didn’t respond, didn’t want to argue back. “Are we returning to the cave?” she asked after a moment. “Or to the river first?” She knew she couldn’t smell great after being out in the sun all day, and with how well his animal forms could pick up scent, she was certain it couldn’t be pleasant.

“We can go by the creek if you like.” The river was a bit far. He paused, looking off into the trees, ears twitching. No… it was nothing. A rabbit.

She nodded. “That seems best.” When they got to the creek, she hopped off of him, careful as she walked toward the bank. Tayla shed herself of her clothes, unabashed by the nudity, even if it did expose everything of her. All the scars and burns, especially the lines parallel with her collarbone that dictated who she belonged to.

He settled into his wolf form, watching the woods around them, listening, smelling the air for any sudden changes. He was trying very hard to pay attention to anything but her, though he kept catching himself glancing in her direction. She was… really very pretty, though the scars were what seemed to catch his attention most. Like a tear in a masterpiece. Who would do such a thing to a sweet girl like her?

She washed herself before grabbing his shirt and washing it as well. It could dry in the sun on their way back. She wrung it out and pulled it over her head as she waded back onto the bank once she was finished. Oh. He was a wolf now. She was a bit big to ride on a wolf, but she could walk, she supposed. She’d already asked so much of him. “Which way back?” she asked.

He stood. “Oh. One moment.” He shed the pelt to the elk again, standing before her, lowering his antlers and settling on his elbows so it was easier for her to mount him.

“Oh! Thank you,” she said appreciatively, climbing back onto him. She tapped the side of his neck to let him know she was settled.

Pogue stood, taking long elegant strides toward the cave. “It’s no problem.”

She woke up gasping again, her heart pounding aggressively in her chest. How many times would she need to sleep in this place before her subconscious accepted that nothing bad had happened to her yet? She rubbed her eyes as she stood, feeling along the wall to make her way to the cave mouth, sitting down at the entrance with a bag of the flax seeds, shelling them to pass the time as she listened to the sounds of the outside.

The wolf on the bed raised its head as she moved away from the bed, watching where she went. He didn’t want to overwhelm her, but… he wanted to make sure she was ok too. She had jerked when she woke. It had been what woke him actually.  
A cat curled its back against her leg affectionately. “Are you alright?” He purred, his tail curling around her comfortingly.

A small smile came to her face at his new form, and her hand moved to scratch between his ears before traveling along his spine. “Yes,” she assured him, “just a bad dream is all. Did not mean to wake you.”

He stretched to arch his back against her, purring louder, much to his embarrassment. He… really couldn’t remember what they were talking about so well anymore in his sleepy haze. He just wanted her to keep scratching him like that.

The smile grew a bit at his purring. “It was unaware you could be so cute,” she cooed with a soft laugh. She set the small sack of seeds aside to gently pull him to her lap, so she could reach him a little easier.

Where he human at the moment he would be flushed bright red, but… thankfully, he was a cat. He sounded so happy. He was, but that didn’t mean he wanted to announce it so… loudly.

She leaned back against the wall of the cave, closing her eyes as she focused instead on the feel of his slightly rough fur against her fingertips as they ran over him, usually pausing at a spot when he seemed to particularly enjoy being scratched there.

“There are… these old tales,” she mused in a quiet voice, “of the Baba, an evil woods witch.” It was a story that some Uweyr mothers told their children to get them to behave. “Her servant is a forest cat as black as the smoke of a fire.”

“Our people tell stories similar. That she is ruthless to anyone within her wood. Hunters fear to tread there.”

“As they… should…” she murmured. Her voice seemed to be drifting farther away, the feeling of his fur in her fingers along with the slight vibration of his purring making her a bit… drowsy, now.

“Sleep if you are tired…” He offered softly, unable to help himself from kneading her lap slightly.

“Mm…” was the only response to come from her as she drifted off, sitting against the cave wall. Her head lolled slightly to the side.

He looked up at her and chuckled softly, hopping out of her lap to change into himself again, lifting her carefully to take her to bed.

She stirred a bit, still only in the beginning of sleep, and adjusted to put her head on his shoulder, one arm draping over the other shoulder. She mumbled something that sounded along the lines of ‘thanks’ and ‘don’t have to,’ but it was extremely slurred with fatigue.  
When she felt the furs beneath her, she curled herself instinctively around the warm body of the wolf that joined her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I realize now she bathed twice in one day but uhhh whoops. Tayla was just having an icky day I guess.


	4. Marked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tayla makes a discovery in the woods that puts the two back on alert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual Content: N/A (will be present next chapter, though)  
CW: N/A

Her feet had healed well thanks to Pogue’s intervention. She was even able to go around barefoot, as she was accustomed — though sometimes, it seemed, to his dismay. She was out foraging for berries, nuts, and herbs today, spending time in the sun. Tayla never would have thought she’d be able to have a day like this again, out in the open without fear, without the pain of scabbed or open wounds pulling on her skin. It was… more than nice. 

Well, for as long as it lasted. 

The fear struck her, sending ice through her veins, when she saw the charred mark on the tree. It was a way to keep track of the way back in the event the dogs were killed in a dangerous hunt or battle. How far was she from the cave? Too far to still be in Pogue’s territory? And how old was the mark itself? She touched it, and charcoal smudged on her fingertips. Not so fresh as to still be powdery ash, but enough to still come off onto her skin, not having been completely washed away by wind and rain. 

She took hold of the bark, scrambling up the trunk and into the sturdier branches. People didn’t typically look up when trying to find other people.   
Tayla had forgotten how long it had been since she did something like this. Her first jump nearly had her falling to the forest floor, but like anything, a few more attempts had her finding her balance and momentum with relative ease. She made her way back to their home, not wanting to be out in the open when she could so easily be seen and caught. 

She dropped down from the lowest, stable branch once near the cave and went inside to wait for Pogue to return from his hunt. She intended to spend the time keeping herself busy with sorting through what she collected, but… it seemed the bag wasn’t exactly made for keeping small things inside it amid hops and jumps through treetops. Almost all of it had fallen out. All she was left to do was think and pace back and forth. 

He stopped short as he saw her. He’d caught a deer, so he’d been a little late getting back. Thankfully his abilities helped with personal hygiene, though it did seem to make him thirsty, so at least there wasn’t blood all over him from lugging it back.

She looked up at that sound of his return, starting to shirk away into the shadows at first before realizing. “Deepest apologies,” she began, has hands wringing together nervously, “what was gathered today was lost in rushed return.”

“It’s alright, Tayla. What’s wrong?” He asked, concern twisting his eyebrows. He was glad the deer didn’t need his immediate attention, because she obviously did. Something had seriously frightened her and she was covered in little scratches. “What happened?”

“There was a brand on a tree,” she explained. She held out her palm, intending to show him the smudge of charcoal but… “_Dûr,_” she scolded herself softly. Of course it had rubbed off as she was grabbing onto bark and branches. “It was not so fresh as to be powdery ash, but a little coal still came off a bit to the touch. It doesn’t know if it was beyond the border or still within.”

“You’re not an it, Tayla.” He reminded her softly, moving to touch her shoulder soothingly, steadying her. She was trembling. “It’s alright. I will check it out. You’re safe here.”

“_Dûr,_” she muttered again, realizing she forgot he didn’t like her calling herself that. “This one believes the tree was to the south? Perhaps slightly east.” She bit her lip, eyebrows furrowing, frustrated with herself for not noting the direction or the distance she’d gone. 

“It’s alright. You did nothing wrong.” He hugged her gently.

She winced slightly, the salt of his sweat stinging the little scrapes from her jumping through the treetops. She didn’t pull away though. It was tolerable, especially compared to how… nice his arms felt. She set her forehead against his shoulder. “They cannot find— There will be… not good things.”

“They won’t. They won’t find you. I will make sure of it.” He assured her. “I’ll be right back. Stay here. No one will find you here.” He shifted as he turned, changing into his usual black wolf to check the surrounding area. He would have thought that he’d smelled humans in his wood if they were near, but maybe the blood… No… No, nothing was close.  
So he shifted to an eagle, pushing himself higher to see. 

She waited around until his return, unable to rest until his return. But now she had something to busy herself, at least. She skinned and treated the dear, murmuring prayer to the spirit of the animal and The Mother as she did so. She had to improvise a few of the lines, but she suspected it was the intention that really counted. 

She cooked some on the fire, putting other cuts up to dry as well as preparing the skin for tanning, though she was only in the middle of that when she heard movement nearby. She was almost afraid to turn around, afraid she’d see Romulus there to fetch her and drag her back by the end of her hair, but it was only Pogue. She let out a soft sigh. “Anything?”

“They are heading in the wrong direction. We will see no trouble from them, but…” It did concern him a bit that they had stayed in this area. What was keeping them here? Her? No. He had seen how those ‘men’ treated women, treated anyone weaker than them. They didn’t care for her. They would want to possess her, and he didn’t care for the idea of letting that happen.

“We will have to be more careful when going out.” He warned gently. “You should stay here if you can.”

Trapped again, but… not against her will. Not completely. She had to stay here to avoid a much worse fate. She nodded. “Good. And understood.” She explained what all she’d done while he was away as she continued to finish treating the skin before hanging it for tanning. 

She ran her fingers over the fur before stepped away from it. The texture and thickness of it kept her grounded, kept her from the memories of— She blinked, shaking her head a bit. “You must be hungry from all your efforts today.”

“I… We should treat your cuts first. I can make something for us to eat. You’ve done more than your fair share today, Tayla. Why don’t you rest?” She had to be exhausted, though he didn’t know if she would be able to sleep if she was as worked up as she seemed. 

“Some of it is already made,” she assured him. “And it is alright. The cuts are not so bad. There was just… a few trips in the branches is all.”

“An infection is much worse than losing the materials.” He tried. “I would feel better if we cleaned them out.” He didn’t want to force her to do anything, but… He didn’t have any medicines left. If she were to get sick, he would be hard pressed to find more.

Oh… if it made him feel better, then.... She nodded. “That can be done. There is stew in the pot.” She went to get some of the cloth she made along with a water jug. She could go out later in the evening to gather more to put through the filtration.

She was starting to venture out again. It took her several days to get the courage again, several days of him assuring her nothing had changed and no new signs were seen. So she’d started to go out once more, expanding her radius a little more and more each time. 

One day, she dropped from the branches to head into the cave, finding him back before her. That was unusual. Typically, she was the first to return. How late had she stayed out today? She could ponder that later, she supposed. “It is very excited,” she chirped happily. “Spent all day conversing with a magpie. It did not know they were in these parts! Very smart birds, good friends.”

He chuckled, smiling. “Good. I’m glad to hear that you made a friend.” He said honestly. “Tayla, can I ask you something?” He needed her to address this.

She stopped short at the change in his tone. Had she upset— oh, she’d done it again! She smiled sheepishly for a moment before allowing, “Of course.”

“No, it’s alright. I just wanted to ask why you spoke that way, if you wish to talk about it. You don’t have to tell me anything you’re uncomfortable with.” He said gently. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

She thought for a moment, trying to figure out how best to put it into words. “Old masters… did not like it. Is like if worm started calling itself ‘person.’” She said it like it was any other thing she might have made note of. 

“But… the old masters don’t control you anymore and… You are a person. You’re no lesser than I am.” He said gently, watching her carefully. He didn’t want to push her too far.

She didn’t seem particularly troubled by the idea. Just more confused than anything else, really. Absently, not even really aware of the motion, she touched her collarbone where the markings were of her ownership. “The… first is… true,” she muttered tentatively, trying to piece it together in her head. 

“They are both true, Tayla.” He assured her gently. “You’ve been through something horrific, that’s all. You had to believe it to survive. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“This-... Can use… ‘I’ and… ‘me?’” She asked carefully, uncertain. She’d only been a small girl when her Circle was ambushed. That was… many years of training and living in that condition to undo. 

He nodded encouragingly. “If that is what you decide. You are your own master now.”

Those words… she wasn’t sure about that. She was still beholden to him, after all. If he suddenly decided to turn cruel, he could quite easily turn her out to the wild and have her fend for herself. But he wasn’t cruel now. Slowly, she nodded. “I… will try to remember,” she allowed, her words still sounding like they tiptoed in the air. 

“It is what you decide, Tayla. I won’t force anything on you.” He assured her gently.

“Okay,” she replied softly, a small smile returning to her face.


	5. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Humans ovulate too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual Content: yes, consensual  
CW: body image issues

The magpie landed on Pogue’s head, pecking lightly as he collected little bugs in his fur. “Tay-la,” it squawked. “Ri-ver.”

He was quick to come to her call, worried for her, though he heard no struggle or cries. He panted as he bounded through the underbrush, landing with a halt at the river’s edge to see her waiting. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He panted, looking around, as he tried to assess the situation quickly.

She turned, waist deep in the water, but her body faced toward a sack on the bank. There were two raccoons chattering at her and when she turned toward Pogue, they started moving closer to her bag. Her face twisted as she turned back to them. “No! Away! Pogue, please help me?”

He snarled, snarling loudly as he charged at them. One of the little scoundrels snagged the strap of her bag in one swift motion as he scampered away, but Pogue lunged, getting a good bite on one strap as his leg managed to ensnare the other end of it. He firmly put his weight on it, locking it in place as he snapped forward at the oversized rat, careful to avoid its bite. The things were menacing…

The thing fell back before scampering back some, stopping to turn and hiss, before scampering off again along with his buddy. She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I would have hated to lose my stash again,” she said. She also didn’t want to get all scratched up by the raccoons either. She was well aware of their medicine problems and she only knew so much in the way of making and using medicines. “I will need to secure it better next time…”

“It’s alright. I should be with you.” Especially when all he could manage to do while out attempting another hunt was think about where the Uweyr would show up next and worry if she was safe...

She smiled at him before continuing her wash. Once she finished up, she got out of the stream, using one of the larger flax cloths she made to help dry her off. “Have you finished with what you needed to do today?” she asked curiously as she slipped on her tunic and pulled the satchel over her shoulder.

He couldn’t help but glance in her direction, but quickly forced himself to focus on the treeline. “I um…” He felt a little strange actually. Hot. He shook it off. “Yeah, I’m finished. That deer yesterday made my day easier.” He still checked his traps and managed to catch a hare, but that had been easily skinned early this morning. He’d just been making rounds when she called him. Checking the perimeter of their lands. _Damnit_! He caught himself ogling her while she dressed and looked away, frustrated with himself.

Tayla couldn’t help the bit of a giggle that escaped her when she noticed him. She always thought it was weird how he seemed bashful about nudity. If anything, clothes were the weird things. Unnatural. But necessary to protect from the elements. That was all she figured his behavior was about.

She set a hand on his back once she approached him. “Good, we can walk together then,” she noted. “Or ride? If you are not too tired?” It wasn’t that she was lazy — far from it — but she liked it just because of how _fun_ it was.

Again, something in him responded strangely. His mouth was suddenly dry, but he _wanted_ her to ride him. He silently morphed into an elk. She was small enough that it wouldn’t bother him.

She was much better about being able to get onto his back now, so she hopped up, swinging her leg over him, before patting the side of his neck. “Thank you,” she noted lightly, smiling.

He nodded carefully, wary of the rather large antlers now protruding from his head, but as he started to move he felt her weight shift on his back and… What was that wonderful _smell_? He let out a snort, trying to ignore its pleasant pull, not realizing that he was pushing at a little quicker pace than normal. He chose to focus on the forest around them, trying to keep up with what was around them through the haze of that addictive smell.

She had to lean down, gripping the fur around his neck and pulling in her knees to keep herself steady when she realized she would fall off if she just stayed sitting up. Why was he in such a rush? Did he hear something she didn’t? “Is everything okay?” She asked, voice bouncing a little as she did too.

“Hm? Oh! Yes.” He slowed for her, not sure what that was about. But then it didn’t take long for him to feel… odd. Overly energetic. He shook his head again, rubbing his nose against his knee. This had… never happened before. Perhaps he had a cold or _something_. But if it was an illness, then it would have to be something new. He certainly would remember feeling like _this_.

She waited until they were back at their home—it wasn’t that far, especially after his little sprint—to slide off of him, placing her hands on both of his cheeks, checking his eyes for cloudiness or any other sort of indicator that he was unwell. His chest was heaving, and he was a little hotter to the touch than normal in this form. But nothing seemed _too_ particularly out of place. “You are alright?” she asked, concern showing on her face. What had him so… bothered?

“I… I’m fine.” He had to be fine, right?

Her eyebrows furrowed, not entirely convinced. But… maybe he’d just caught a scent of something that spooked this form’s more primal mind, like a mountain lion. “Okay,” she murmured, letting him go. “I will begin supper. Maybe a small nap would be good for you?” Tayla suggested.

He nodded slowly, his form shifting to his usual wolf, but that smell hit him like a brick wall. He nearly whimpered, backing up and throwing his head. He shifted back, unable to control himself in that form. Even as an elk, though he reared, vocalizing as he forced himself to redirect to rake his antlers into the bark of the closest tree violently, spraying bark at his feet.

She jumped back, afraid for a moment. Was he ill? What was causing all of this? She needed to get some sort of control over all of this, though, before he accidentally hurt himself. She tried to grab one of his antlers to get his attention before shouting over his sounds, “A _man_, Pogue!” If it was something with his senses, his human form wouldn’t be able to detect near as much.

Yes! That was perfect! He changed, panting as he stood slowly. Oh… _Oh_! He flushed, covering his obvious erection. “I… s-sorry.” He huffed, unable to catch his breath. She smelled so _nice_...

_That_ had never happened before when he changed back. He was rarely a man, and when he changed back into that shape, she’d never seen that reaction before. What could—

_Oh_. She’d had her moontime a few weeks back. He’d been especially sensitive to the smell of blood then. And now that she was about halfway until the next… She understood now. But at least he wasn’t sick. At least, this was something she could help.

She stepped closer to him, shaking her head to dismiss his apology. “It is alright,” Tayla assured him, cupping his cheeks with her hands once more.

She kissed him tenderly. “Let us go inside. It will be better on the furs instead of the leaves.” Tayla offered him a small smile, hoping to ease his mood.

He… _really_ hadn’t expected her to kiss him, but then she spoke and he realized what she mean. At least he was pretty sure. “N-No, I don’t want to push you into this just because I’m… It will go away.” He assured her gently, not moving. “I don’t want to make you do something that you don’t want.” She could easily feel pressured into this. She felt she owed him, after all. She’d made that clear.

She seemed confused at his refusal. As far as she understood it, it was just a thing a man needed to do every so often. She was honestly surprised, and more than a bit relieved, that he wasn’t trying to ask her for it — and hadn’t ever since she got there.

“It is alright,” she repeated. “If I did not want, I would not offer.” He had helped her in so many ways. It was the least she could do. And besides, as she said, _she_ was offering. It was different from her time with the Uweyr, when she had absolutely no say in the matter. This was under her control.She was able to consider whether or not she was willing to, and this was the side she’d come out on.

She stopped short. “Oh. Unless…” The Uweyr valued scars. It showed bravery or status. It wasn’t seen as hideous marking. She didn’t know to which he’d belonged to before he came to live here, but perhaps the reason he never tried to make any advances on her was because he found her ugly, and this was simply biological reaction to whatever scent she was putting off. “If you do not wish for me, I can go elsewhere for a day or so? Still within the territory.”

“No!” He flushed again at his sudden reaction. “Sorry. No, I like you here.” It was safer for her here. “And I like… you. I just… I don’t want to push you into anything if you don’t want to or if you feel like you _owe_ me for something… I only want this if you do too.” He clarified.

“Of course I do,” she said with a bit of her smile returning. She wanted to help, after all, and it wasn’t as if she wasn’t attracted to him as well. He was kind, handsome, and entirely generous to her when she had nothing to offer him. What was there to dislike? And besides, maybe her own condition was affecting her, but the idea seemed… _fun_, like a good idea. She took his hand, taking a step back toward the cave.

He hesitantly followed her, uncertain but… She said she wanted to and she was so… He set his jaw and swallowed his nervousness. He’d never… done this before. Not like this. He’d spent years living as an animal after his family was gone and since he’d been alone out here. As a child he’d experimented alone, and had a rather embarrassing encounter with a female wolf which he understood a lot better now that the pieces were falling into place for Tayla. She’d been in _heat_. But that was his only experience.

She… couldn’t get a read on him. It was easier when he was an animal. He was more expressive with his body language and mannerisms opposed to that… stoic face she saw with a clenched jaw and hard eyes. Perhaps he was only being polite a moment ago. It would explain why he’d never tried anything before.

She slowly released his hand, biting her lip and looking at the stone beneath her feet. “It is alright if you do not wish it,” she assured him. She knew, other than the scarring, there were other reasons she may be undesirable, thus not _really_ helping him if she continued to push. He may see her as sullied, after all.

He touched her cheek gently, stepping forward to wrap his arm around her, kissing her gently. “I do, I just… I don’t want to take advantage of you.” She was used to making everything completely about him. She’d shown that more than once. He wasn’t sure if she was swaying him with _reason_ or if it was her raging pheromones.

He surprised her with the kiss, but she returned it the brief moment it lasted. His statement was puzzling, though… “You are not; I am offering,” she replied quietly, not certain if it was just another polite denial or something.

He couldn’t say no… He picked her up, catching her lips again eagerly, moving to lay her on the bed of furs. “How do you like… this?” He asked gently, kissing her jaw as his fingers explored over her clothes, trailing down her side.

Like? Was she supposed to like it? She never had liked it before, though she really only had one point of reference for it, one person who just used her as he pleased. “I do not know,” she admitted. “However you wish?”

Oh. Of course she hadn’t… He guessed they were both flying relatively blind then. He took a slow breath to steady himself before slipping off her shirt tenderly, his fingers trailing up to tease her nipple lightly, experimenting.

She let out a sort of a pleased hum, her eyes closing to focus on the sensation of touch. Her fingers ran down his chest before moving along his waist, teasing him, not wanting to rush it since he seemed to want to take it easy.

He smiled a bit enjoying her teasing as his lips wandered down, sucking softly at her neck between kisses. His fingers spread to cup her breast, massaging the mound of flesh playfully as his lips found her neglected nipple, trailing his tongue around the sensitive nub.

_Oh_ that was… _nice_… She whined softly at the feeling it brought her, like there was something glowing in her chest and— and something tingling between her legs. Her hand moved to his inner thigh, trailing up until she was running her fingertips along the underside of him.

He groaned softly against her, his hand leaving her chest reluctantly, but he wanted to catch up to her. He traced her thigh lightly, before following the line of her hip to find her, trailing his fingers over her length lightly.

Her hips moved subconsciously against his touch, another whine escaping her, laced with longing. That sound was new to her; she’d never made it before. A bit of pink and heat tinged her cheeks. What if he thought she was trying to emulate his more usual shape of a wolf? Still, her fingers wrapped around him, stroking him slowly, easing into it since he seemed to want to have that pace.

He let out a sharp breath at her touch, his mind clouding slightly letting through a little motion in his hips before he groaned, catching himself. “S-sorry.” He panted lightly. Focus. _Focus_. His fingers moved a little deeper, exploring her curiously. Hm. He hadn’t expected her to be so _complex_.

Everything seemed to start at a small nub though, he found as his fingers traced along this deeper level.

“Do not—_hn_—be,” She murmured huskily, watching him now with half-lidded eyes. Besides, she took it as a compliment. She’d done the same only a second before because she wanted more of what he was giving her. He must be feeling that same urge in response to _her_ action.

She’d never felt these little sparks shooting through her, seeming to start at the very pit of her stomach and jumping through her body to the very tips of her fingers and toes, the latter curling beneath her feet. The whines changed again, now to a moan, a bit louder and deeper than the sound before. “_Pogue_…” she breathed. She let her hand give him a bit more, stroking faster with more satisfying pressure, as if bribing him to give her more of those sparks.

He groaned roughly, eager for her, but… he wanted to… He played more where she seemed to react. He thought there was something to this little thing. It was where everything stopped after all, where everything pointed to. He switched to tease with his thumb so his fingers might seek out that deeper entrance he felt before.

She took in a breath as she felt one of his fingers slip into her (and - she was surprised to find - rather easily, too). His hands were much larger than hers. When she’d been leading him back into the cave, she’d had both of hers on one of his, and it still wasn’t completely covered by her grip. Now one of his fingers was inside of her and she felt as though she could feel every detail - even if that idea was a bit silly. Her hips rocked against his hand again without her telling it to before she forced them to settle.

Tayla leaned up slightly, pressing her forehead to his and also getting a better angle for her own hand as it moved down instead of back along the shaft once it was at the base. Gingerly, she cupped his balls, massaging ever so carefully.

He moaned breathlessly before catching her lips eagerly, moving within her curiously. She was so warm and… That was an odd urge. He sucked softly at her nipple, letting the suction work on her as he leaned away to give her a little pull before the loose hold gave way. His thumb circled the nub between her legs as he explored within her experimentally.

She breathed his name in a half-moan as the glowing feeling in her chest returned. Tayla was breathing harder too, now, and a flush appeared in her cheeks. She felt she was losing the ability to concentrate very well, and fearful of hurting him, she moved her hand back to his cock. Her legs spread more for him, and her back arched slightly as she felt a sudden rush when his finger found a certain place. “_Please_,” she whimpered, wanting it again, wanting _more_.

Oh! _That_ was nice. Was that desperation in her voice? He liked that. He liked that he had pushed her to that, but more than that he wanted to give her what she was asking for. He tried to find that spot again before kissing her gently. “I want to… put my mouth on you. Is that ok?” He asked huskily, flushing slightly at his words.

He wanted this to be more than pleasurable for her. She deserved that and… he wanted to _taste_ her. Was that strange? It wasn’t like he had any frame of reference, but he… She seemed to like his mouth on her chest. Maybe it would be better there?

She would never have thought of that. Of course, she’d been made to do it to others, but the idea of it being done to her would never have crossed her mind. She wondered if it was some part of him that was still always slightly the animal that told him to do it, but the thought was quickly cut off when the sensation of his touches hit her again. She whined before nodding in response to him, letting him go so he could move how he needed to.

He ran his tongue over her nipple again, almost like a goodbye before releasing it again, his panting breaths cascading over her damp skin before he moved down. He adjusted, his thumb moving out of his way so that he might run his flattened tongue over her surface. Oh! This also gave him a better angle to slip further into her, so he tried that, leaving that place she seemed to like to explore her depths as his tongue sought out that nub she liked. He was curious how she might respond when the texture changed.

She practically shouted with the loudness of her moan, the sound only echoing and amplifying in the cave. She then turned a berry-shade of red as she covered her mouth with a hand, though she only let out a muffled moan against it.

The shout surprised him, but a cocky grin quickly overtook his face. Had she never done that before? It seemed like she hadn’t based on her reaction… That was a nice ego boost. He flicked the hardened tip of his tongue over her clit, hoping to hear more as he moved within her slowly. His fingers curled after a few motions, curious how she would like that kind of attention against the place he’d stumbled across.

“_Pogue_!” She whimpered, the sound still muffled against her hand. The other clutched desperately at the furs beneath her, and her toes curled as if to try to grab them too. She wanted him, was desperate for him, but she didn’t want this to stop either.

Was she… close? Those were good sounds, right? She hadn’t told him to stop. He urged her on carefully, alternating between circling and flicking against her clit.

At one of his flicks, she felt an explosion that seemed to start from the very bottom of her stomach, filling the rest of her very quickly. Her back arched, knuckles turning white as they gripped the fur harder, like she was afraid of defying gravity and floating up to the ceiling. She moaned again, glad she was keeping the full volume from coming out, because even with the hand, she could hear a bit of the echo.

He eased up at her convulsions before reluctantly letting her go, slipping out of her. “Was that alright?” He panted, wanting confirmation that what he thought just happened was in fact what happened.

She sat up suddenly, taking his face in her hands and kissing him fiercely in response. She could still taste herself on his lips which… kind of excited her.

Well, that was certainly a yes. He smiled slightly against the kiss before melting into it, losing himself a little bit into the passion of it. He instinctively positioned himself over her, but hesitated, wanting her to give him another confirmation.

She laid back against the furs again, panting beneath him. She couldn’t help but wonder why he was hesitating… Then an idea came to mind. “Would… it be better… if I had my back to you?” she asked, still breathless. He was an animal most of the time, after all. It had to be more familiar to him.

He flushed bright red, embarrassment coloring him at the reminder. “I… If you want? I was just… I wanted to make sure you were ready first.” He clarified, clearing his throat.

She wasn’t unaccustomed to it. She leaned up to kiss him tenderly, hoping to soothe his embarrassment. She was used to seeing a dark-furred animal more than she was used to seeing this side of Pogue. It was part of who he was, and she didn’t see a reason for him to be ashamed of that. Then again, he seemed to be ashamed of a lot of things she paid no mind to.

She pushed herself up again, this time to move to her hands and knees. Playfully, she looked over her shoulder and shook her hips, hoping to distract him from his bashfulness.

He swallowed the downright overwhelming urge to rush, moving to place his hands against her hips gently as he positioned himself at her entrance. He leaned into her slowly, kissing her back lightly as he panted, pausing once he’d entered her fully. He wanted this to be comfortable for her more than the throbbing of his instincts.

She let out a sound that was somewhere between a moan and a whine as she felt him enter her. But then he stopped. Was everything alright? She was accustomed to Romulus just taking her as he pleased, so she wasn’t certain about these little checks he was doing. Tayla turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. He seemed to be… straining or something. “Are you… alright…?” she panted.

“Y-yes.” He panted softly, unable to stop himself from moving slowly now even if he wanted to. He was gradual, wanting to make sure that she was wet enough for this to be enjoyable for her. His arm snaked around her hip to seek out and circle her clit as he started to hit a decent rhythm with his thrusts.

She moaned again, the sound growing when his fingers found that place that made the sparks again. She was absolutely wet enough, his previous actions having made sure of that. “_Pogue_,” She panted again, rolling her hips against him at his next thrust into her.

He couldn’t help the buck of his hips she urged out of him, but he eased immediately, afraid he might hurt her. “Are you- _ungh_\- alright?” He liked this feeling, but… He wished he could read her face from this position.

“_Yes_,” she breathed. She hadn’t realized this could feel so… _nice_. But she wanted terribly to kiss him again - oh! Tayla thought then of a way that Romulus had lain with his wife. It wasn’t too different from this, maybe she could just… Tayla tried to time it with one of his movements, waiting until he was in her to lift to her knees, her back to his chest, and she turned her head to kiss him.

Oh! This was… _better_. He kissed her back eagerly, wrapping his arms around her to help support her, but it didn’t take long for him to think better of it. One hand moved to cup her breast as he continued his work against her clit. He moved deeper within her thanks to the pose, and it drew a deep groan from him, reigning himself in as the urges to push _faster, harsher_ started to echo in his mind. She deserved _better_, however. No amount of instinct would change that fact.

Her rough pantings for breath become timed with his motions, letting the air huff out when he entered her with a bit of a moan or whine each time. Her opposite hand move to cup his cheek when she had to break apart for more breath, but the other rest over his at her breast as if to urge him on.

He couldn’t help but let his will be eaten away by the blind instinct a touch, though. To be completely honest he didn’t even notice the change being so gradual, too distracted by the attention he devoted to touching her, to pushing her to make those encouraging noises. He loved the way she sounded like this.

She felt his motions slowly become more feverish, more desperation behind them. Tayla widened the distance between her knees slightly, positioning her hips back a little more to allow more depth for him. ...and for herself too. “_O-onh_!” She cried out as she felt him hit farther inside her, rubbing right against where she’d liked before. “_P-please, give… gifff…_” The next words died on her lips, mind too filled with pleasure.

He growled lowly, almost animalistic in his fervor as he felt himself getting closer. Her sounds only pushed him toward that edge faster. “_Tayla_…” He moaned against her ear, flicking his finger over her clit as he squeezed her breast.

She loved the way her name sounded on his lips. Her fingers slid into the spaces between his, squeezing his hand tightly as if that would brace herself. Tayla was… very grateful he was holding her up, because when she felt that burst of ecstasy again, she thought she might collapse from the power of it. She moaned his name again, the sound loud, drawn out, her head falling back against his shoulder.

“_Oh_…” He moaned, trying to get out a warning for her. “I’m going to-!” But he couldn’t get the full sentence out before he felt her tighten around him, drawing another deep sound from in his chest as she pulled him over the edge with her.

She stayed in that moment, in that position, for a second, not moving and just enjoying how they were. Then, when she had her mind about her a little more, she turned her head to kiss his neck, his jaw. Her hand combed tenderly into his hair.

He panted against her neck, planting tender kisses over the skin there. “Was… that ok?” He asked breathlessly.

“Wonderful,” she murmured with a bit of a mirthful giggle trailing after the word. Her lips caught his in a brief kiss. “I did not know it could be that way.”

He smiled, catching her lips again lovingly. “It should always be like that.”

She returned his kiss, enjoying the way they were. She could still feel him inside of her, and she was afraid if she moved, he wouldn’t be anymore. “How do you feel?” She asked once the kiss came to its close.

“Excellent.” He smiled, catching her lips again for another loving but brief kiss. He would be perfectly happy staying like this with her forever.

She was glad it had managed to satiate the urges driving him wild earlier. She leaned back against his body, letting her head rest against his shoulder with her eyes closed, enjoying the energy around them.


	6. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pogue would have been happy staying like that with her forever? Silly shifter. Nothing can be good _forever_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SC: n/a  
For this one, click the 'check the end' link for the CWs if you need warnings. It would be a mild spoiler, else I'd put them here.

Tayla had been going back to those marked trees she found every few days or so. And each time she went, the marks were more and more faded. It didn’t seem as though they’d come back. Weeks passed, and she thought that perhaps they just carried on with the normal state of things and moved on. That didn’t seem like Romulus, though… It wasn’t like him to let what he considered and insult slide. 

She returned the next week to find the tree charred once more in the same spot. What was more, bits of the coal still glowed a faint orange. She immediately froze, wide-eyed in the branches as she stared at it. They were close. Goddess of the soil, they were close. After a few minutes, she mimicked the call of her friend, figuring that was safe enough rather than alerting them by calling out in human language. When he finally fluttered to her shoulder — Tayla thought for a moment perhaps he’d been too far to hear — she told him to find Pogue and lead him close by. “Follow,” she whispered to him to repeat. “Danger.”

The bird zipped off, looking in the usual spots for Pogue until he came across the shapeshifter. He didn’t even stop to peck bugs out of his fur this time. He just hopped on the top of his head, repeating Tayla’s words. “Fa-low! Dan-ger!”

Danger? He shifted to a bird of prey so that he might easily follow, landing at the location in the shape of the largest cat he could think of. The faint outlines of tiger stripes stretched across his pelt, but most of it was faded out by the deep red-brown and black of his hair color. “They’re back?” He smelled them already, though it was nearly overwhelmed by the charcoal of their mark.

“Yes,” she said softly, knowing he could hear her from below. “The mark had little embers just before you arrived. I fear they may still be close.” She couldn’t keep the little squeak from her voice, her fear coming through. She put her hand over her mouth almost in self-admonishment. She didn’t need to make any kind of human noises right now. Truly, she was afraid to even move for fear of getting upwind without realizing. If the hounds were with them, she’d be detected a mile off.

“Get on. I’m taking you home.” Then he needed to go hunting. Perhaps he wouldn’t kill anything, but he had to keep an eye on them. 

She bit her lip anxiously, afraid of dropping down, that they might be close by enough to hear. But Pogue was here. And as some cat that looked about the size of a smaller bear. She carefully slid down to the lower branches, trying to make as little noise as possible, but she couldn’t keep the leaves from shaking at the end of the branches. She cringed each time, but then made her way down to the next one until she was at the floor. She swung her leg over him, holding onto his scruff, and once the magpie saw she was safely with Pogue, he darted away.

When he turned to take them back home, she didn’t hear any twang of a bowstring. She didn’t see anyone hiding, camouflaged in the underbrush. What she did see was Pogue’s ears flick backward, paying attention to something, and what she heard was a deafening half-roar, half-yowl from his mouth. 

He spun around as best he could, keeping off his front left leg, trying not to concentrate on the searing pain that burned through it. “Tayla, you have to run!” He hissed, keeping careful cover as listened for the enemy’s location.

She heard another arrow whiz passed them, sticking into the ground. Whoever it was wasn’t a good a shot, and Tayla was a small target. “I will not!” She squeaked, getting off of him and scrambling up the tree she’d just climbed down. She had to draw his fire away from Pogue. Tayla saw another arrow sink into the bark only a few inches from her hand. 

There! His cat eyes caught the movement quickly and dilated as he bound forward pouncing and sinking his fangs into the man’s neck, his claws into the torso, making quick work to snap his neck and release him, listening for more. He must have called for backup. Pogue couldn’t imagine why he wouldn’t, but he… couldn’t hear anything else. “Be careful…” He warned tensely. There. They didn’t know where the pair were, whistling, mimicking birds, looking for their dead friend.

Pogue faded into the shrubbery, stalking quietly to get a good vantage point for when they undoubtedly found the body.

Tayla grabbed the arrow from the bark before she reached the branches, following Pogue to stay relatively near him. Her eyes darted between his position and the other two Uweyr. They had the markings of Romulus’ tribe alright… Why was he back in this area so soon? He ought not have made it back to this part of the land for another year! She watched, waiting until she saw the settling shake in Pogue’s hindquarters, the twitch of focus in his tail. 

She dropped from the branch, landing on the shoulders of one of them, dragging the arrowhead over his throat, timed with Pogue’s pounce. This one fought a little harder, hitting at his injury, but it was over with a quick twist of Pogue’s head.

The smell of blood hung heavy in the air after the bodies were limp on the ground. She got to her feet, examining her red-coated hands, her breathing starting to pick up. But - no - no, she couldn’t let herself get distracted right now. Pogue was hurt. And she wasn’t back at the Uweyr camp. She needed to focus. 

Tayla moved over to him, examining his leg carefully. “The arrow is still in it,” she murmured worriedly. It looked like it hadn’t gone all the way through, stopped by the thick muscle or possibly bone. How was she supposed to get it out? The back of the arrowhead would only catch more muscle if pulled out. “We need to get you back home… are you able to become something smaller?”

“It will hurt, but I don’t see how else you can get me home unless I just… limp the whole way and…” They needed to be faster than that. “Call something to give you a ride, if you can.” He offered setting his jaw as he shifted, crying out at the resistance of his injured arm. Nothing to do but grin and bear it. He settled into the form of a weasel, cradling his injured arm as he panted softly, a little overwhelmed by the rather large feeling in his rather small body. And the anxiety of this form was… almost palpable. He shook it off, then stood on his toes and squeaked at her softly. He was kind of hidden under all the brush now.

She knelt to find him and pick him up carefully, letting him rest looped around her neck with hand held to him to keep him steady. Tayla looked around, trying to see if there was anyone nearby but all the commotion seemed to have made every other animal flee if they were close. “If there is anyone close who can offer aid, we need swift feet,” she called out as she started walking back. She might have run but for fear of him bouncing around, hurting his arm even more. “Are you alright there?” She asked worriedly. 

“I will be fine. Run, Tayla!” He insisted urgently, hearing shouting behind them. 

It was strange hearing both the weasel’s squeaks and it translating to his usual voice in her mind. She didn’t have but a slivered fraction of a second to consider that thought, because then she, too, heard the shouting. She started to run as fast as her feet could take her. 

Then there was another sound like someone violently shaking a blanket to rid it of dirt, only multiplied on itself over and over again. She turned her head just a bit to look behind her as she saw the largest flock of birds she ever laid eyes on swarming through the forest, creating a living barrier between them and where the shouts had come from. The chirps were all too mired in each other for her to be able to tell any specific words, but the general message she was able to glean was “protect.” Perhaps her friend had not fled to protect himself, after all. He seemed to have gone and brought assistance. 

She didn’t have to go much further before she heard hoofbeats bounding up to her, not thundering like a horse’s hooves. Instead, the animal she saw was another elk, much like Pogue’s shape but lighter with dusty browns instead of black. He stepped in front of her, letting out a snort and bowing on his elbows for her to get on. She did so, clicking her tongue when she was stable. She didn’t want to risk her voice being heard by any other hunters again. The elk rose, springing off toward their home. 

Reaching their destination, Pogue was all too happy to be on solid ground, morphing with a pained scream into his usual wolf, panting and trembling with the effort as he limped to the bed. He whimpered as he lay down weakly. The arrowhead was still stuck in his shaking leg, but the shaft he’d broken off in order to shift the first time for better or worse.

“I do not expect you to stay and fight,” she assured the elk, patting its neck, “but if you do not have to rush back to a herd, if you could stand at the entrance and alert us if anyone comes close? You may run the instant you hear them, if need be.” The elk snorted and bowed his head, though the gesture seemed more toward Pogue than herself, before going to stand watch. 

She moved to Pogue, carefully sitting at the bedside. “Tell me what I need to do,” she said gently. “I do not wish to mess up and damage you more than I assist.”

“J-just… get the arrowhead… out.” He managed, pained. Once that was done, he would be much more comfortable. He might even be able to fight, even with just one arm available.

The growling caused her eyebrows to crease with a bit of anxiety, but she knew he was just hurting. She took hold of what was left of the shaft and jerked backward, feeling a little sick at the sound and the feeling of the vibration into her hand. Quickly, Tayla pressed the edge of her tunic to it to help staunch the bleeding. “I know; I know. I am sorry, so sorry…”

He’d yelped at the snap of the arrow’s release, but once it was out it felt so much better. He closed his eyes, feeling the familiar itch of his advanced healing. It must be working in overdrive in response to his adrenaline. He couldn’t usually feel it like this. “Thank you…” He panted softly, his breathing starting to even out.

She nodded before kissing the top of his head. He might have been settling, but she still had a slight shake to her. The thought that she might have been seen was… terrifying. These had to be mostly just scouting parties. And if they saw her and reported back to Romulus… He would come himself, and she didn’t know if Pogue could fight him. Romulus was never the most intelligent man, but he was certainly strong. 

Pogue was slow to move, but slowly got up, a little uneasy on his feet at first, but he shifted, groaning at the blood that forced out, but… It felt better. He stretched as a tiger, still limping a bit, but… “I need to get them. They’ll inform on us, yes?” He growled softly, almost a pur as he inhaled deeply, looking for human scent. Just theirs, but that was fine. He could make due with that.

“Pogue, you are wounded,” she argued. If he went out alone, it was entirely possible he wouldn’t come back. Then an idea sparked in her mind. She grabbed a knife off of the table he used to treat hides. “Let me go. I can sneak through the treetops and call others to help if I need to.” 

He watched her for a moment before nodding reluctantly. “I won’t be able to carry you. Your friend will have to assist us there.” The poor thing seemed a little frightened of him. After all, he’d seen him change into two different predators now...

“Us? No, alone,” she rebutted. “You cannot travel or fight in such a state. Not against multiple Uweyr. I will not allow it.” When had she started talking like this? She recognized the change in her tone once the words were out of her mouth. But she didn’t have time to consider it. “I will go through the trees. Quieter, sneakier. I will return.”

He turned back to her, surprised. She never told him what to do before. “I… I am fine. I won’t be left behind.” He insisted, flexing, trying to work out the soreness as much as he could. It hurt, but he’d fought in worse shape and come out victorious. Barely, but… still.

“You will stay,” she said firmly, starting to head back out of the cave. “I shall be upset if you follow.” Tayla paused by the elk. “He does not leave this cave,” she ordered. He gave a confirming snort, and Tayla moved to pull herself up into the trees. 

He snarled at the elk and its instincts immediately seemed to take hold as it backed up a bit.

“You will just have to be upset then. I am not staying.” He was glad that she was finally asserting herself, but he hardly even had to limp now. One arrow or a chip in his bone wouldn’t stop him. 

The growl followed by his words and tone cowed her, though. She didn’t argue more. This was his place, she reminded herself. She didn’t like it, but what else could she do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: violence, injury


	7. Selfish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the battle brings revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SC: n/a  
CW: descriptions of violence

Blood stained over her skin and tunic, though it would have been difficult to tell if it was hers or another’s. She was panting for breath, putting a hand to the trunk of a nearby tree to keep herself steady as she stared at the lifeless, but still-warm corpses. She felt a bit like she might retch. But it was for their own safety, both hers and Pogue’s. She wasn’t cutting them apart like— 

She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut for a moment to fight the nausea. She could still see Mila’s face. The empty, bloody eye sockets and limp, slightly open mouth, like her last words had been caught there, unable to get out. 

Pogue placed his forehead gently to her hip, hoping it was a comfort even in this form. “We had less choice about this than they did. At least we gave them honor with a warrior’s death.”

Honor? They didn’t deserve honor. It wasn’t for them that she was upset. It wasn’t even the fact that she’d helped kill them. She knew these men, knew who they were and what they were like. Just like all the others. It was just the reminder of that last day… 

She shook her head. “Have you been injured further?” she asked quietly. Tayla listened for his response, but her mind was also running through a hundred other things at once. Most pressing seemed to be what to do about the bodies.

Interning them to the earth would take too long and far more than they deserved. A pyre would follow their traditions but it would be quicker, though a difficult transport. She could hope the scavengers would find and break them apart before a search party discovered them, but that left too much to chance. 

“No.” He assured her.

“Then let us return.” She turned, starting to walk. “Scavengers, have your fill, and if there is anything left after, hide it away or tell others. There should not be a shard of bone left,” Tayla said, hoping that there were still ears close enough to hear, not frightened too far by the fighting. 

Pogue nodded, following her back home. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do what you wanted of me.” He said gently, stopping a few paces behind her. He wouldn’t blame her if she was upset with him. She’d never asked anything of him like that before and he’d refused.

Sorry? That didn’t make much sense. It must be words for her own comfort; he did that a lot. “There is nothing to be sorry about. I forgot my place.” It was only right for a king to rule in his kingdom, after all. She’d gotten grandiose delusions of being a queen in her time outside of the Uweyr. She saw that now. 

“No. You didn’t. I just… heal easier than you do. I couldn’t let you get hurt. You have as much right to ask me to do what you want as I have to ask you.” He said gently, shifting to his human form easily.

More words of comfort, but she couldn’t let them go to her head. It likely made him feel better to say such things, so she wouldn’t contradict him. She’d heard the growl, heard the snap of his words when she tried to tell him what to do. And even if he was telling the truth, there was the matter that he didn’t believe she was capable. Which was a fair assessment, she knew. She wasn’t much of anything. 

Tayla’s eyes fell to the ground, and it was only then she seemed to realize how gory she was. “I—… Should go wash,” she said softly, masking the near-stumble of her words as a pause. “Will return to prepare supper after.”

“Wait, Tayla… please. I want you to do what you wish. It doesn’t matter if I disagree with you.” He clarified, blocking her way. He touched her cheek gently. He hardly cared what she looked like. “I just wanted to protect you.”

“It is alright,” she assured again. “You are understood.” He didn’t have to say it out loud. She knew. She was glad she’d done it. It was good to remember, keep oneself humbled. 

“It’s alright for you to be angry with me about it too.” He assured her gently, unsure what she was thinking about. “I can take it.” He promised.

“No anger,” she murmured. “Was… trying to manipulate into staying, which is wrong. Sincere apologies…” She kept her gaze at the ground, shifting her weight on her feet. Her mouth opened again slightly, as of to say something, before closing again. She really ought to go wash, assess any possible damage to herself. 

He shook his head. “That wasn’t wrong. You were worried about me. You wanted me to stay so I didn’t hurt myself, right? I understand. I just… I shouldn’t have frightened your friend. It’s harder to be… me as an animal. Instincts are powerful things, but that shouldn’t be an excuse. I… need you to put your foot down every now and then or I won’t realize if I’m out of line.” He offered a slight smile before moving on. “Are you hurt?” He couldn’t smell any fresh blood, but… perhaps some scraps? She was rather fast in the treetops, faster than he would have anticipated anyway.

“Nothing… feels hurt,” she admitted. “It is difficult to be certain, though. Intended to check while getting… all of this off.” ‘Go clean yourself. You did not earn those wounds.’ She earned any that might be on her this time, though. Her fingers dug into her forearms. 

“Are you ok?” He asked, gently taking her hand, afraid she might break the skin.

She nodded. “Just… just shaken…” she murmured. She didn’t understand all his fussing over her either. She knew how she felt about him, but… No, that wasn’t meant for her. There were some people that were just lower, and she was one of them.

“Let’s go get clean then, I guess.” He offered, snagging some extra clothes for her. “I’ll keep watch.”

She didn’t intend to trouble him further by making him come with her, but she wasn’t going to tell him to stay again. She’d… disappointed him somehow, it seemed. 

She walked with him quietly to the water, washed the blood from her, and returned. There were some cuts and scrapes on her, but nothing serious, thankfully. She didn’t have to dwindle supplies further. 

Tayla went about preparing a meal for him before sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing the dirt from their furs, though she was… exhausted. The warmth of the blanket and the smooth rhythm of the brushing eventually had her pretty much sleeping sitting up until she just slumped over onto the bed. 

Tayla sat in a bushy branch with her back against the trunk of the tree over the site of their fight, listening, watching. She didn’t know how soon the search party would be sent or if they would even make it this way, but she needed to be able to know the second they were close. Her birds were told to find her if they heard anything that sounded like man that wasn’t herself or Pogue, but she needed to watch over this place too for… some reason she couldn’t articulate. 

Pogue sniffed her out with some difficulty. The day was rather stagnant, so there was no scent on the breeze to track. He just had to follow her through the trees as a panther until he found her. “Here you are.” He breathed in relief, purring softly.

“You were searching?” She asked, puzzled. “Has something happened?” Why would he himself have come to find her and not one of her little messengers?

“No, nothing happened. I missed you this morning. Thank you for breakfast.” Pogue moved closer, purring as he gently nudged his head against her lovingly.

“Oh, it was nothing,” she murmured. Her hand automatically moved to scratch between his ears, liking the feel of the softer cat’s fur between her fingers. “Apologies for leaving without telling you where.”

His purring grew louder. “It’s alright. You don’t owe me anything.” He assured her gently, settling in beside her, his tail flicking side to side.

She did, though. If it weren’t for him, she would have been found and captured and —… she didn’t want to think about what else they’d have done — long ago. She was quiet for a moment, eyes staring off into nothing, listening to his sounds. “Before any raid,” she murmured, “one of the families must give sacrifice to the shamans. Usually a slave or a well-trained hound.” Though families that were lower in status, usually due to a slip up of a family member, who had no such sacrifices to give were usually forced to give one of their own. 

“The truer a sacrifice it is, the better the outcome of the raid. If a family does not give what others consider a good sacrifice and things go badly… it goes badly for them, too.” She took in a deep, shaking breath. “Someone of the house has to be the one—” She swallowed, feeling her throat starting to close up. “—the one to prepare it for the shamans. Eyes from head, blood from body, heart from chest, muscle from bone, all of it sep- separated.” He would think different of her; she was sure of it.

“Before I ran, it was Romulus’ turn and—… m-my friend—… I had to—… and it was not even why I left. I did not leave because of what I was made to do; I have had to do it so many, many times before.” It had only phased her because of the face and who it was, not what she was doing. She was then aware of the hot tears flowing down her face. How long had she been crying? “I left because- because I knew he wanted to use me for the mountain pass. And if we went any farther north, I would have no chance to live after escape.” It was because of convenience that she ran. 

He pressed his forehead to her tenderly. “I’m so sorry…” He sat up, shifting to wrap his arms around her lovingly. “You shouldn’t have had to do that. You shouldn’t have had to do any of that…” He shook his head. “You deserve so much better…” He kissed her temple softly.

She placed her hands on his chest, hiding her face against his shoulder. “I do not,” she insisted. “I am selfish. I chose to live and do horrible, awful things than refuse and be punished. I did not flee until I realized I was in danger. I am selfish.”

“Tayla… You did what you had to do to survive. Things happen to your mind when you’ve been trapped for so long. You lose sight of things that were very clear before. It’s alright. It’s not your fault. You’re not selfish. You’re the most selfless person I’ve ever known.” He promised her, stroking her back soothingly, kissing her temple.

She couldn’t help the half of a laugh that broke through her crying. “You are a hermit,” she pointed out. Then, as his words sunk in, she added quietly, “I do not know if Gach-Máthair will see it that way.”

“I wasn’t always like this, Tayla.” He said softly, sighing. “I had a people once. The Uweyr destroy everything they touch.” He murmured. It was years ago. As far as he knew he was the last of his kind. 

She wondered if it was Romulus’ tribe that attacked his people. She wondered if she had been made to take his people apart. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry…” 

“It was a long time ago.” He assured her. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. You did what you had to do.” He smoothed her hair lovingly.

Her arms wrapped around him, holding him close to her. “Even so,” she murmured. She understood that feeling of being the last. She had no idea if the others that weren’t killed immediately were still alive. She could hope so, but… the likelihood wasn’t in their favor.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I'll definitely get back to you. Also feel free to comment just to comment lol. If you enjoyed the story, please hit the kudos button so I can let Amateal know others enjoy our work :3
> 
> This story is already finished, and it's just a matter of organizing chapter breaks and spacing out posts. So you don't have to worry about it going offline. <3
> 
> This work may delve into some heavy topics that some people won't be comfortable reading, and that's okay <3 remember to check the beginning authors notes for any CWs the chapter might have, and I'll be sure to update the tags as I go. As usual with any fic, just because it's in the work, doesn't necessarily mean the action is endorsed.


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